Edge computing-based distributed network architecture that enables preemptive client-targeted local data storage

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to an edge computing-based distributed network architecture. A central server in the architecture may include a client-location monitoring module for tracking a principle location of a client, which may be co-located with a remote hub institution. The central server may also include a client information packaging module, for packaging information associated with the client into a digital package; a natural-disaster monitor module, for monitoring for future natural-disasters; and a transmission module for transmitting a packaging instruction from the natural-disaster monitor module to the client information packaging module when the natural-disaster monitor module communicates that a natural-disaster is predicted to occur within a certain threshold distance and within a certain threshold amount of time. The transmission module may also retrieve, following packaging, the package from the client information packaging module and transmit the digital package to the remote hub institution for secure, albeit typically temporary, storage thereat.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a distributed network architecture.Specifically, the disclosure relates to leveraging edge computing incontext of the network architecture. For the purposes of thisapplication edge computing may be understood to refer to computers forrunning applications that sit close to the edge of the network where thedigital world meets the real world. As such, the edge computers referredto in this application typically sit at remote hub institutionsassociated with the network as opposed to at the central server.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Various entities use distributed architectures. Such architecturestypically include a central server and remote hubs.

Oftentimes, the bulk, if not all, of the information and transactionalprocessing in the architectures resides at the central server.Accordingly, the central servers bear the great majority of the networkresource consumption.

Such resource consumption may often tax the central server while leavingthe edges underused—in terms of resource consumption. Moreover,concentration of information storage and transaction processing at thecentral server typically leaves the remote hubs vulnerable to beingseparated from the central server. Such separation from the centralserver can reduce, or even shut down, transaction processing at theremote hubs. Such separation can be caused by a communications breakdownbetween the central server and the remote hubs. Such separation can becaused by a weather-related disaster. Such separation can bevoluntarily—for example when the architecture self-terminates thecommunications between the central server and the remote hub in responseto a security breach.

It would be desirable to leverage the end points of such an architectureto divert transaction processing and information storage, at leasttemporarily, from the central server.

It would be further desirable to process transactions and storeinformation exclusively at the end points for periods of time in orderconserve resources at the central server.

It would be even more desirable to monitor for possible communicationinterruption events and then, in response thereto, package clientinformation into a digital package, and transfer the digital package tothe remote hub prior to the predicted interruption.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

A method for enabling local data storage in a network is provided. Thenetwork may include a central server and a plurality of remote hubinstitutions. The method may include tracking and storing a principlelocation of a client. The principle location of the client may beco-located, i.e., in relatively close proximity, with at least one ofthe plurality of remote hub institutions.

The method may further include monitoring for certain occurrences suchas for future natural-disasters or other events that would require orperhaps cause an interruption of the communications between the centralserver and a remote hub institution. The method may also includetransmitting a transmission instruction to the central server when anatural-disaster or other interruption is predicted to occur within acertain threshold distance of the remote hub institution and within acertain threshold amount of time in the future.

In response to receiving the transmission instruction, the method mayinclude packaging the digital package at, and transmitting the digitalpackage from, the central server. The method may further includetransmitting the digital package to the remote hub institution forsecure storage thereat, preferably for the duration of the naturaldisaster or other occurrence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects and advantages of the disclosure will be apparent uponconsideration of the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative block diagram of a system that includes acomputer.

FIG. 2 shows an illustrative apparatus that may be configured inaccordance with the principles of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows an architecture according to aspects of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 shows, in addition to the identical architecture displayed inFIG. 3, environmental sensors.

FIG. 5 shows, in additional to the identical architecture displayed inFIGS. 3 and 4, biometric sensors and third party information source.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of an architecture according to thedisclosure.

FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment of an architecture according to thedisclosure.

FIG. 8 shows an illustrative flow diagram that specifies a processassociated with an embodiment of a method according to the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

An edge computing-based distributed network architecture that enableslocal data storage is provided. Such an architecture may include acentral server. The central server may include a client-locationmonitoring module.

The client-location monitoring module may be configured for tracking aprinciple location of a client. The principle location of the clientmay, in some embodiments, be co-located with a remote hub institution.

The central server may include a client information packaging module forresponsively packaging, upon receipt of a transmission instruction, acurrent reckoning of information associated with the client into adigital package for transmission. Such a reckoning may include all ofthe relevant client records. Transmission of such a reckoning to theremote hub may preferably change, at least temporarily, the system ofrecord for the client, from the central server to the remote hub.

In some embodiments, the central server may also include anatural-disaster monitor module. The natural-disaster monitor module maymonitor for the possibility of future natural-disasters.

The central server may also include a transmission module in electroniccommunication with the natural-disaster monitor module and the clientinformation packaging module. The transmission module may transmit thetransmission instruction from the natural-disaster monitor module to theclient information packaging module when the natural-disaster monitormodule communicates to the transmission module that a natural-disasteris predicted to occur within a certain threshold distance of the remotehub institution and within a certain threshold amount of time in thefuture.

In response to receiving the transmission instruction, the clientinformation packaging module may package, and the central server maythen transmit, the digital package to the remote hub institution forsecure storage thereat.

One advantage to the present system is that the system may increaseflexibility vis-à-vis the client account and relationship. For example,the system may elect to periodically send packages of a client'sinformation to the hub institution for use and short-term administrationthereat. In such systems, the secure storage of client information atthe hub may enable efficient and timely administration of the client'saccount even absent continually updated communications with the centralserver.

The natural-disaster monitor module may further include a plurality ofenvironmental sensors for receiving natural disaster and/or weatherevent indications. Information derived from these sensors may be coupledwith information derived from a live feed from a third party informationsource. Information derived from the sensors, together with live feedfrom a third party information source, may be used in a complementaryfashion to trigger transmitting of the transmission instruction from thenatural-disaster monitor module.

Sensors may include devices that detect changes in a physical or virtualenvironment. For example, sensors may measure audio, rainfall,temperature or water levels.

Sensors may be any suitable size. For example, sensors may be a fewmillimeters in size. Sensors may be deployed in a wide variety oflocations. Sensors may “sense” two or more stimuli or environmentalchanges.

Captured data may be transmitted using any suitable transmission method.For example, data captured by a sensor may be extracted by a mobilephone. Sensors may leverage a communication link provided by a mobilephone to communicate captured data to another node.

Captured data may be transmitted by the sensor and processed away fromthe location of the sensor that captured the data. For example, captureddata may be transmitted from one node to another node until the captureddata reaches a data repository.

Sensors may be positioned and capture data from diverse locations.Locations may include geographic locations or virtual locations onelectronic networks. Captured data may be transmitted to a locationwhere information is needed for decisioning or consumption, which maynot be the same place the data was captured or generated. Datasynchronization protocols and caching techniques may be deployed toensure availability of information at, or delivery to, a desired node.For example, a location where data is captured may not have continuousreliable network connectivity. Accordingly, captured data may be storedlocally on the sensor for an amount of time prior to transmission orbroadcast to another node.

Contextually, captured data may provide information not only about thephysical environment surrounding a sensor, but the capturing of datafrom multiple sensors may provide data that signifies an event. Sensorsmay be grouped. Sensors may be grouped based on physical proximity orbased on the content (or expected content) of data captured. Sensors maybe grouped virtually. In some embodiments, the captured data may beorganized by the data repository.

In some embodiments, sensor data may be transmitted continuously. Insome embodiments, sensor data may be transmitted on a periodic schedule.In some embodiments, sensor data may be transmitted in response to achange in conditions detected by the sensor.

The client-location monitoring module may be further equipped withsensors for tracking a plurality of real-time biometrics of the client.The client-location monitoring module may also be configured to analyzethe plurality of real-time biometrics in order to produce a real-time,individual-client-directed analysis. Based on the analysis, theclient-location monitoring module, or other suitable analysis system,may generate and display one or more client recommendations based on theanalysis. Such recommendations may include product recommendations. Suchproduct recommendations may be informed by the real-time biometricstracked by the sensors. For example, the bio-metrics, together with theweather information, may reveal the client is under a high stress level,possibly as a result of a natural disaster. In such a case, the systemmay recommend a loan product to the client to help the client getthrough the high-stress period.

Such analysis may include comparing the currently-retrieved bio-metricinformation with historic bio-metric information and/or historicinformative patterns derived from the historical interactions with theclient. Furthermore, such historic bio-metric information and/orhistoric informative patterns may be leveraged, together with thecurrent bio-metric client information, to provide relevantrecommendations to the client.

In certain embodiments, receipt, at the central server or the hub, of achange of an internet protocol (IP) address associated with the clientmay cause the server to update the principle location of a client, or atleast to perform additional research regarding the location of theclient. Based at least in part on the updating, the client-locationmonitoring module may be configured to determine an updated remote hubinstitution.

In some embodiments, in response to a loss of internet connectionbetween the central server and the remote hub institution, thetransmission module may be configured to transmit an emergencytransmission instruction from the natural-disaster monitor module orother relevant module to the client information packaging module. Anemergency transmission instruction may indicate that an immediatepackage be generated and transmitted from the central server to theremote hub.

In some embodiments, the client information packaging module may beconfigured to periodically exchange information between a plurality ofsensors located at the remote hub institution and the central server.

Specifics of an edge computing-based distributed network architecturethat enables preemptive client-targeted local data storage according tocertain embodiments follow. The embodiments are described in conjunctionwith FIGS. 1-8.

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative block diagram of system 100 that includescomputer 101. Computer 101 may alternatively be referred to herein as a“server” or a “computing device.” Computer 101 may be a desktop, laptop,tablet, smart phone, or any other suitable computing device. Elements ofsystem 100, including computer 101, may be used to implement variousaspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein.

Computer 101 may have a processor 103 for controlling the operation ofthe device and its associated components, and may include RAM 105, ROM107, input/output module 109, and a memory 115. The processor 103 mayalso execute all software running on the computer—e.g., the operatingsystem and/or voice recognition software. Other components commonly usedfor computers, such as EEPROM or Flash memory or any other suitablecomponents, may also be part of the computer 101.

The memory 115 may be comprised of any suitable permanent storagetechnology—e.g., a hard drive. The memory 115 may store softwareincluding the operating system 117 and application(s) 119 along with anydata 111 needed for the operation of the system 100. Memory 115 may alsostore videos, text, and/or audio assistance files. The videos, text,and/or audio assistance files may also be stored in cache memory, or anyother suitable memory. Alternatively, some or all of computer executableinstructions (alternatively referred to as “code”) may be embodied inhardware or firmware (not shown). The computer 101 may execute theinstructions embodied by the software to perform various functions.

Input/output (“I/O”) module may include connectivity to a microphone,keyboard, touch screen, mouse, and/or stylus through which a user ofcomputer 101 may provide input. The input may include input relating tocursor movement. The input may relate to transmitting, tracking,authorizing, and/or controlling natural disaster monitoring, clientlocation monitoring, file packaging, file transmission, etc. Theinput/output module may also include one or more speakers for providingaudio output and a video display device for providing textual, audio,audiovisual, and/or graphical output. The input and output may berelated to computer application functionality.

System 100 may be connected to other systems via a local area network(LAN) interface 113.

System 100 may operate in a networked environment supporting connectionsto one or more remote computers, such as terminals 141 and 151.Terminals 141 and 151 may be personal computers or servers that includemany or all of the elements described above relative to system 100. Thenetwork connections depicted in FIG. 1 include a local area network(LAN) 125 and a wide area network (WAN) 129, but may also include othernetworks. When used in a LAN networking environment, computer 101 isconnected to LAN 125 through a LAN interface or adapter 113. When usedin a WAN networking environment, computer 101 may include a modem 127 orother means for establishing communications over WAN 129, such asInternet 131.

It will be appreciated that the network connections shown areillustrative and other means of establishing a communications linkbetween computers may be used. The existence of various well-knownprotocols such as TCP/IP, Ethernet, FTP, HTTP and the like is presumed,and the system can be operated in a client-server configuration topermit a user to retrieve web pages from a web-based server.

The web-based server may transmit data to any other suitable computersystem. The web-based server may also send computer-readableinstructions, together with the data, to any suitable computer system.The computer-readable instructions may be to store the data in cachememory, the hard drive, secondary memory, or any other suitable memory.The transmission of the data together with computer-readableinstructions may enable the computer system to quickly retrieve thedata, when needed. Because the computer system is able to quicklyretrieve the data, the web-based server may not need to stream the datato the computer system. This may be beneficial for the computer system,because the retrieval may be faster than data-streaming. Conventionally,streaming data requires heavy usage of the processor and the cachememory. If the data is stored in the computer system's memory, retrievalof the data may not require heavy processor and cache memory usage. Anyof various conventional web browsers can be used to display andmanipulate retrieved data on web pages.

Additionally, application program(s) 119, which may be used by computer101, may include computer executable instructions for invoking userfunctionality related to communication, such as e-mail, Short MessageService (SMS), and voice input and speech recognition applications.Application program(s) 119 (which may be alternatively referred toherein as “plugins,” “applications,” or “apps”) may include computerexecutable instructions for invoking user functionality relatedperforming various tasks. The various tasks may be related totransmitting, tracking, authorizing, and/or controlling natural disastermonitoring, client location monitoring, file packaging, filetransmission, etc.

Computer 101 and/or terminals 141 and 151 may also be devices includingvarious other components, such as a battery, speaker, and/or antennas(not shown).

Terminal 151 and/or terminal 141 may be portable devices such as alaptop, cell phone, Blackberry™, tablet, smartphone, or any othersuitable device for receiving, storing, transmitting and/or displayingrelevant information. Terminals 151 and/or terminal 141 may be otherdevices. These devices may be identical to system 100 or different. Thedifferences may be related to hardware components and/or softwarecomponents.

Any information described above in connection with database 111, and anyother suitable information, may be stored in memory 115. One or more ofapplications 119 may include one or more algorithms that may be used toimplement features of the disclosure, and/or any other suitable tasks.

The invention may be operational with numerous other general purpose orspecial purpose computing system environments or configurations.Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and/orconfigurations that may be suitable for use with the invention include,but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, hand-heldor laptop devices, tablets, mobile phones, smart phones and/or otherpersonal digital assistants (“PDAs”), multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based systems, set top boxes, programmable consumerelectronics, network PCs, minicomputers, mainframe computers,distributed computing environments that include any of the above systemsor devices, and the like.

The invention may be described in the general context ofcomputer-executable instructions, such as program modules, beingexecuted by a computer. Generally, program modules include routines,programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that performparticular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Theinvention may also be practiced in distributed computing environmentswhere tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linkedthrough a communications network. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules may be located in both local and remotecomputer storage media including memory storage devices.

FIG. 2 shows illustrative apparatus 200 that may be configured inaccordance with the principles of the disclosure. Apparatus 200 may be acomputing machine. Apparatus 200 may include one or more features of theapparatus shown in FIG. 1. Apparatus 200 may include chip module 202,which may include one or more integrated circuits, and which may includelogic configured to perform any other suitable logical operations.

Apparatus 200 may include one or more of the following components: I/Ocircuitry 204, which may include a transmitter device and a receiverdevice and may interface with fiber optic cable, coaxial cable,telephone lines, wireless devices, PHY layer hardware, a keypad/displaycontrol device or any other suitable media or devices; peripheraldevices 206, which may include counter timers, real-time timers,power-on reset generators or any other suitable peripheral devices;logical processing device 208, which may compute data structuralinformation and structural parameters of the data; and machine-readablememory 210.

Machine-readable memory 210 may be configured to store inmachine-readable data structures: machine executable instructions (whichmay be alternatively referred to herein as “computer instructions” or“computer code”), applications, signals, and/or any other suitableinformation or data structures.

Components 202, 204, 206, 208 and 210 may be coupled together by asystem bus or other interconnections 212 and may be present on one ormore circuit boards such as 220. In some embodiments, the components maybe integrated into a single chip. The chip may be silicon-based.

FIG. 3 shows an architecture 300 according to aspects of the disclosure.Architecture 300 includes a central server 302. Central server 302 mayinclude client locating module 304, client information packaging module306, natural disaster monitoring module 308 and transmission module 310.

Client-location monitoring module 304 may track a principle location ofa client 320. Such a principle location may include the residence of aclient 320. Such a principle location may include the workplace ofclient 320. In fact, such a principle location of a client 320 mayinclude any suitable location at which client 320 spends the majority ora significant minority of his or her time. Demarcation lines 322indicate a physical separation, and a distance between, remote hubs312-318.

The principle location of client 320 is preferably co-located with oneor more predetermined remote hub institutions 312-318. One of the remotehub institutions 312-318 may, in some embodiments, be where client 320performs most of his or her in-person banking.

The client information packaging module 306 may be configured toresponsively package a current reckoning of information associated withclient 320 into a digital package for transmission. The digital packagemay be transmitted, upon receipt of a transmission instruction, from thecentral server 302 to the remote hub institution 314 co-located with theprinciple location of client 320. Such a transmission may ensure thatthe client's information is proximal to client 320 in the event of anatural disaster or other occurrence that potentially severscommunications between central server 302 and remote hub institution314.

Natural-disaster monitor module 308 monitors for future and/or impendingnatural-disasters. This monitoring may be implemented through a livefeed from a third-party data source such as a satellite weather datasource (see, e.g., FIG. 5, element 525, FIG. 6, element 625). In certainembodiments, this monitoring may be implemented through liveenvironmental sensors located at the remote hub (see, e.g., FIG. 4,element 424.) In some embodiments, the monitoring may be implementedthrough a feed from proximal environmental sensors and from third-partydata sources (see, e.g., FIG. 6, elements 624 and 626).

In certain embodiments, such as some select embodiments in which themonitoring is implemented at least through live environmental sensorslocated at the remote hub, a packaging and transmission of clientinformation for storage at the remote hub may be limited to thosecircumstances where the live environmental sensors confirm, throughon-site environmental condition detection, the initial stages of anoccurrence of a natural disaster, or of an impending natural disaster.In these circumstances, the packaging and transmission, which may bebandwidth- and memory-intensive operations, may be avoided until thelatest-in-time, or proximal to the latest-in-time, moment, therebyconserving expenditure of bandwidth and memory resources untilabsolutely necessary to transmit the client's information to a locationproximal to the client.

Other advantages associated with the embodiments set forth herein may betransferring the bulk of the real-time data analysis and applicationperformance to the edge, performed by sensors, and other devices,located at the remote hub institution, from the central server. Thiswill allow the scheduling of downtime at the server because much, if notall, of the client's interactions can be handled for extended periods atthe remote hub institution. As edge computing develops further, the edgecomputing can be further leveraged to improve the distributed networkstructure by deflecting a growing amount of central server processing tothe edge.

Central server 300 may also include a transmission module 310. Thetransmission module 310 may be in electronic communication withnatural-disaster monitor module 308 and client information packagingmodule 306. In certain embodiments, transmission module 310 may alsoreceive transmission instructions, such as identification of a remotehub institution to which the package should be transmitted, from clientlocating module 304.

Client information packaging module 306 may be configured to, inresponse to information from natural-disaster monitor module 308 that anatural-disaster is predicted to occur within a certain thresholddistance of the remote hub institution and/or within a certain thresholdamount of time in the future, generate a digital package of the clientinformation for transmission to a pre-determined remote hub 314.

Transmission module 310 may be configured to, in response to informationfrom natural-disaster monitor module 308 that a natural-disaster ispredicted to occur within a certain threshold distance of the remote hubinstitution and/or within a certain threshold amount of time in thefuture, transmit the recently-generated package from the clientinformation packaging module 306 to a pre-determined remote hub 314. Insuch a circumstance, the client information packaging module 306 maypackage, and transmission module 310 may transmit, the digital packageto the remote hub institution for secure storage thereat.

FIG. 4 shows, in addition to the identical architecture displayed inFIG. 3, environmental sensors 424. Environmental sensors 424 may, incertain embodiments, be used to locally confirm weather information,natural disaster information, or any other relevant information.Environmental sensors 424 may further be configured to communicate suchinformation, preferably in real-time as described above in more detail,to any suitable location such as, for example, remote hub 414, centralserver 402 and/or any other identified and accessible location.

FIG. 5 shows, in additional to the identical architecture displayed inFIGS. 3 and 4, biometric sensors 524 and third party information source525. Biometric sensors 524 may, in certain embodiments, be used tolocally confirm biometric information about a client 520. Suchinformation may be useful in recommending one or more courses of actionto the client. Such information may also be useful in interacting withthe client.

Third party information source 525 may provide information regarding theweather, natural disaster or any other suitable information needed byremote hub 514 and/or central server 502. Such information may, in thecase of weather information retrieval for example, be used to confirminformation retrieved by live environmental sensors 424 shown in FIG. 4,and/or alert regarding same.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of an architecture 600 according to thedisclosure. This architecture preferably combines all sensors 624-626into a single architecture. It should be noted that all, some or evenone of the sensors may preferably provide information in real-time. Eachof sensors 624-626 may provide corroborative information to one another,or to the central server, regarding the information retrieved from asecond sensor. For example, if a natural weather-based disaster isimminent, this may show up in all three sensors—i.e., 1) environmentalsensors because of changes to the immediate physical environment of theremote hub institution 2) bio-metric sensors because of stress and/orphysical changes to the client caused by the natural weather-baseddisaster and 3) third-party data sources which will report the imminentnatural weather-based disaster. As such, the reliability of theinformation derived from each of the sensors can preferably improvebased on cross-checking with the information derived from the othersensors and/or other information sources.

It should be noted that, while examples in this application describesensors retrieving weather-based information, other events which mightcompel transmission and storage of client information at a remote hubinstitution are within the scope of this application. As such, thesensors may derive any relevant information from environmental sensors,bio-metric sensors, other suitable sensors and/or third-party datasources that relates to the current client situation.

FIG. 7 shows yet another embodiment of an architecture 700 according tothe disclosure. In architecture 700, which is similar to thearchitecture shown in the preceding FIGURES, a change of a client'sprinciple IP address is shown. Specifically, the client is shown, atstep 1, as changing his principle IP address from 726 to 728, which mayalso signal a change of client 720's physical address. In addition, theclient's physical interactions and/or physical location, as shown atstep 2, may have also changed from remote hub 714 to remote hub 712. Atstep 3, remote hub institution 712 is shown as having updated, regardingthe client change of position, client locating module 704. Clientlocating module 704 may then inform transmission module 710 of theclient's new location, both physically and in cyber-space. Thereafter,if transmission module 710 is to receive a digital package involvingclient 720 from client information packaging module 706 and/orpredictive natural disaster information from natural disaster monitoringmodule 708, the digital package will preferably be transmitted to remotehub institution 712 as opposed to remote hub institution 714.

FIG. 8 shows an illustrative flow diagram that specifies a process 800associated with an embodiment of a method according to the disclosure.

Step 802 shows tracking and storing a principle location of aclient—co-located with one of a plurality of remote hub institutions.Step 804 shows monitoring for natural disasters or other such events.The reason for monitoring for the occurrence of such events is that, inanticipation of such an event, the system may be configured to packagethe client information into a digital package for storing at the remotehub location closest, and, therefore, the most physically accessible, tothe physical location of the client or, alternatively, to the remote hublocation most relevant to the client.

Step 806 shows transmitting a transmission instruction to the centralserver (which may also be generated within the various modules of thecentral server, as set forth herein) when a natural disaster or otherrelevant event is predicted to occur. As described above, such an eventmay initiate a packaging in a digital package, and transmission of suchpackage, of all relevant client information such that, at least for theduration of the event, the client information is stored and preferablyfully accessible and mutable, as needed, at the remote hub institution.

Step 808 shows, in response to receiving the transmission instruction atthe central server, packaging the client's information and transmittingthe package to the remote institution for secure storage.

The steps of methods may be performed in an order other than the ordershown and/or described herein. Embodiments may omit steps shown and/ordescribed in connection with illustrative methods. Embodiments mayinclude steps that are neither shown nor described in connection withillustrative methods.

Illustrative method steps may be combined. For example, an illustrativemethod may include steps shown in connection with another illustrativemethod.

Apparatus may omit features shown and/or described in connection withillustrative apparatus. Embodiments may include features that areneither shown nor described in connection with the illustrativeapparatus. Features of illustrative apparatus may be combined. Forexample, an illustrative embodiment may include features shown inconnection with another illustrative embodiment.

The drawings show illustrative features of apparatus and methods inaccordance with the principles of the invention. The features areillustrated in the context of selected embodiments. It will beunderstood that features shown in connection with one of the embodimentsmay be practiced in accordance with the principles of the inventionalong with features shown in connection with another of the embodiments.

One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the steps shownand described herein may be performed in other than the recited orderand that one or more steps illustrated may be optional. The methods ofthe above-referenced embodiments may involve the use of any suitableelements, steps, computer-executable instructions, or computer-readabledata structures. In this regard, other embodiments are disclosed hereinas well that can be partially or wholly implemented on acomputer-readable medium, for example, by storing computer-executableinstructions or modules or by utilizing computer-readable datastructures.

Thus, methods and systems for providing an edge computing-baseddistributed network architecture that enables client-targeted preemptivelocal data storage are disclosed. Persons skilled in the art willappreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than thedescribed embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustrationrather than of limitation, and that the present invention is limitedonly by the claims that follow.

1. An edge computing-based distributed network architecture that enableslocal data storage, said architecture comprising: a central servercomprising a processor, the processor in communication with anon-transitory memory, the processor for retrieving executableinstructions from the non-transitory memory, the instructions configuredfor controlling the operations of: a client-location monitoring modulefor tracking a principle location of a client, said principle locationof the client being co-located with a remote communications hub; aclient information packaging module for responsively packaging a currentreckoning of information associated with the client into a digitalpackage for transmission from the central server to the remotecommunications hub; a natural-disaster monitor module, said monitormodule for monitoring for future natural-disasters; and a transmissionmodule in electronic communication with said natural-disaster monitormodule and said client information packaging module, said transmissionmodule for transmitting said digital package from said natural-disastermonitor module to said client information packaging module when thenatural-disaster monitor module communicates to said transmission modulethat a natural-disaster is predicted to occur within a certain thresholddistance of the remote communications hub and within a certain thresholdamount of time in the future; wherein, in response to receiving thepackaging instruction, said transmission module retrieves said packagefrom the client information packaging module and transmits said digitalpackage to the remote communications hub for secure storage thereat. 2.The architecture of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configuredto instruct the natural-disaster monitor module interact with aplurality of environmental sensors, the plurality of environmentalsensors for receiving natural disaster indications and/or weather eventindications which, coupled with information derived from a live feedfrom a third party information source, trigger transmitting of thepackaging instruction.
 3. The architecture of claim 1, wherein theprocessor is further configured to instruct the client-locationmonitoring module to interact with sensors for tracking a plurality ofreal-time biometrics of the client.
 4. The architecture of claim 3,wherein the processor is further configured to instruct theclient-location monitoring module to analyze the plurality of real-timebiometrics in order to produce a real-time, individual-client-directedanalysis, and generate and display one or more client recommendationsbased on said analysis.
 5. The architecture of claim 1, wherein, inresponse to receipt of a change of an internet protocol addressassociated with the client, the processor is further configured toinstruct the client-location monitoring module to update the principlelocation of a client.
 6. The architecture of claim 5, wherein, based atleast in part on said updating, the processor is further configured toinstruct the client-location monitoring module to determine an updatedremote communications hub.
 7. The architecture of claim 1, wherein, inresponse to a loss of internet connection between the central server andthe remote communications hub, the processor is further configured toinstruct the transmission module to transmit an emergency transmissioninstruction from said natural-disaster monitor module to said clientinformation packaging module.
 8. The architecture of claim 1, whereinthe client information packaging module is configured to periodicallyexchange information between a plurality of sensors located at theremote communications hub and the central server at least daily.
 9. Amethod for enabling local data storage in a network, said networkcomprising a central server and a plurality of remote communicationshubs, said method comprising: tracking and storing a principle locationof a client, said principle location of the client being co-located withat least one of the plurality of remote communications hubs; monitoringfor future natural-disasters; and transmitting a packaging instructionto said central server when a natural-disaster is predicted to occurwithin a certain threshold distance of the at least one remotecommunication hub and within a certain threshold amount of time in thefuture; and in response to receiving the packaging instruction,packaging at, and transmitting from, the central server a digitalpackage, said digital package comprising a complete record of theclient's information, to the at least one remote communication hub forsecure storage; wherein said transmitting further comprises changing asystem of record, said system of record that provides the location ofstorage of the complete record of the client's information, at leasttemporarily, from the central server to the at least one remotecommunication hub.
 10. The method of claim 9 further comprisingutilizing a plurality of environmental sensors, said sensors locatedproximal to said at least one remote communication hub, for receiving aplurality of natural disaster and/or weather event indications thereceipt of which, coupled with information derived from a live feed froma third party information source, are sufficient to trigger thetransmission instruction.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the atleast one of the plurality of remote communications hubs comprises aclient-location monitoring module, and the client-location monitoringmodule is further equipped with sensors for tracking a plurality ofreal-time biometrics of the client.
 12. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising analyzing the plurality of real-time biometrics in order toproduce a real-time, individual-client-directed analysis, and generateand display one or more client recommendations based on said analysis.13. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to receipt ofa change of an internet protocol address associated with the client,updating the principle location of a client.
 14. The method of claim 13,further comprising, determining, based at least in part on the updating,an updated at least one remote communication hub.
 15. The method ofclaim 9, further comprising, in response to a loss of internetconnection between the central server and the at least one remotecommunication hub, transmitting an emergency transmission instructionfrom said central server to said at least one remote communication hub.16. The method of claim 9, further comprising periodically exchanginginformation between a plurality of sensors located at the at least oneremote communication hub and the central server.